Shell

A 17-year-old girl living in isolation at a remote Highland petrol station. Her loneliness drives her to seek connection with others, but she navigates a turbulent dynamic with her epileptic father. She experiences moments of desire and danger, ultimately choosing a road toward an uncertain future.

Shell’s epileptic father and a skilled mechanic who becomes entangled in possessive, inappropriate impulses toward his daughter. He experiences violent mood shifts and a devastating act of guilt when he sacrifices himself after kissing Shell. His fragility drives the tragedy and leaves Shell to cope with the fallout.

A mother who interacts with Shell and Robert during their deer-accident encounter, offering Shell a brief sense of human connection. Her presence adds a layer of ordinary life and vulnerability to the remote setting, contrasting with Shell’s isolated world.

Claire’s partner who hits a deer with their car and later weighs practical choices amid a strained situation. His decisions and interactions contribute to Shell’s exposure to the wider world and the fragility of the couple’s predicament.

A regular customer who represents a veneer of normalcy to Shell, gifting her clothes and engaging in a repressed, inappropriate attraction. His overlong hug and eventual departure emphasize the tension between care, boundaries, and danger.

A young sawmill worker who has lost his job amid suspicion of a break-in. He and Shell begin a sexual relationship, and he contemplates starting his own venture with Pete, illustrating a desperate bid for connection and livelihood.

A truck driver who appears later, representing the possibility of escape for Shell as she moves toward an unpredictable future after a night of upheaval.

A child whose mother and she stop at the station; the child leaves behind a doll, a small, poignant detail that punctuates the momentary normalcy amid the story’s harsher events.

A young mother with a child who stops by the station, underscoring the fragility and vulnerability of travelers in this remote setting.